Episoriculus soluensis (Gruber, 1969)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Soricidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 332-551 : 451

160.

Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew

Episoriculus soluensis

French: Musaraigne du Solu / German: Nepal-Braunzahnspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de dientes marrones de Nepal

Other common names: Solu Long-tailed Shrew

Taxonomy. Soriculus caudatus soluensis Gruber, 1969 ,

Ringmo , Solukhumbu District, Nepal, 2700 m.

Episoriculus soluensis used to be included in E. caudatus as a synonym. It was recognized as a full species based on its distinct karyotype. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from Nepal and NE India (Sikkim). Distributional limits remain unclarified because it recently has been elevated to full species.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 62-66 mm, tail 49-56 mm, hindfoot 11-8-12-7 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Condylo-incisive lengths are 18-4 mm, and mandible length is 11-11-6 mm. Dorsum of the Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew is dark brown, and venter is yellowish brown. Tail length is shorter than head-body length. Braincase is very dome-shaped and high. Coronoid process of ascending ramus is moderately developed. Talon (posterior cusp) of upper incisor and first upper unicuspid are low and similar in height. Tips of teeth are pigmented light brown or red. It has four upper unicuspids. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 74 and FN = 126.

Habitat. Mountain habitats.

Food and Feeding. The Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew is insectivorous.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Population trend and distributional boundary of the Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew are unclear and require additional research.

Bibliography. Hoffmann (1985), Jenkins (2013), Motokawa & Lin Liangkong (2005), Motokawa et al. (2008).

Figures

136. Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina hulophaga), 137. Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicaudus), 138. Southern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina carolinensis), 139. Everglades Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina peninsulae), 140. Sherman’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina shermani), 141. Sichuan Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella quadraticauda), 142. Burmese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella wardi), 143. Indochinese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella griselda), 144. Chinese Mole Shrew (Anourosorex squamaipes), 145. Taiwanese Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex yamashinai), 146. Assam Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex assamensis), 147. Giant Mole Shrew (Anourosorex schmid), 148. Desert Gray Shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi), 149. Cockrum’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex cockrumi), 150. Large-eared Gray Shrew (Notiosorex evolis), 151. Villa’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex villa), 152. Mexican Shrew (Megasorex gigas), 153. Taiwanese Brown-toothed (Shrew Epusoriculusfumidus), 154. Arboreal Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus macrurus), 155. Bailey's Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus baileyi), 156. Long-tailed Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus leucops), 157. Hodgson’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus caudatus), 158. Sichuan Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus sacratus), 159. Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus umbrinus), 160. Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus soluensis), 161. Himalayan Shrew (Soriculus nigrescens), 162. De Winton’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hypsibia), 163. Pygmy Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parva), 164. Smith’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa smithii), 165. Salenski’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa salenskii), 166. Dusky Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa furva), 167. Lesser Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa sodalis), 168. Van Sung’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa caovansunga), 169. Hoffmann’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hoffmanni), 170. Lowe’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parca), 171. Bornean Water Shrew (Chimarrogale phaeura), 172. Sumatran Water Shrew (Chimarrogale sumatrana), 173. Malayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale hantu), 174. Chinese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale styani), 175. Himalayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale himalayica), 176. Leander’s Water Shrew (Chimarrogale leander), 177. Japanese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale platycephala), 178. Elegant Water Shrew (Nectogale elegans), 179. Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys anomalus), 180. Transcaucasian Water (Shrew Neomysteres), 181. Eurasian Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens)

Distribution. Known from Nepal and NE India (Sikkim). Distributional limits remain unclarified because it recently has been elevated to full species.